Maputo: an Oasis, getting in cars with strangers, and squash pie

 Our flight down to Maputo was about two hours…the same trip by car would have been three days!  After our last adventurous road trip full of car problems, we decided we could get by without a car in Maputo for a month.   We arrived on November 1^st and took a taxi to Casa Koinonia, “the Oasis for Missionaries”.  The house is run by two sisters, Evangeline and Juanita, who have served faithfully in Mozambique since before the war (both wars actually).  One really interesting thing about staying at “Oasis” is the number of interesting people that come through.  We have met people from South Africa, Portugal, Brazil, Australia, England, Canada, the United States, and of course Mozambique… all who serve in some kind of mission capacity in Mozambique.  What is amazing is how so many of them have a common acquaintance or are connected in one way or another.  The folks that speak Portuguese were great (and very patient) to practice on while we ate meals together.  When we weren’t busy at school or doing homework, we have tried to make ourselves useful by helping in the kitchen, setting tables, or helping Evangeline with computer work. 

The school was great and has been giving us the language structure we were hoping for.  We have rotated between 4 different instructors who have challenged us and helped us grow.  It has been the first time since Dave and I have been married that he has mistakenly been called Jill multiple times since “Gil” is apparently a nickname for the masculine name Gilberto!  One unexpected surprise was another couple, from England, also staying at Oasis and also attending Portuguese classes at the same school.  They will be living in Nampula as well so we will be able to continue the friendship after school is over. 

Large Statue of Samora Machel

Maputo, being the capital city of Mozambique and very close to South Africa, is very different than Nampula.  The roads are much better and there are more modern buildings and shops.  Each day we walked about 15 minutes to school and we made it a habit to go on a walk around town as well.  Each day was a new opportunity to practice Portuguese… it might be the police wanting to check our documents, a man who washes cars wanting to talk to Americans, or an artist trying to sell his work.  We walked to the Jardim de Namorados (Park of Lovers) to sit and study, order a coke, and enjoy the view of the Indian Ocean.  There was also an artist’s park nearby where local artists sell their work often while working on their next master piece.  Several times we walked closer to the town center where you can see a giant statue of Samora Machel, the 1^st president of Mozambique and a hero to most Mozambicans.  One day we ventured out to find the American Embassy so we could register our trip.  It was fun to get to see our Stars and Stripes flying high, but unfortunately they told us to register on-line and we didn’t get to go in. 

A view of the Indian Ocean and Maputo

 On one particular day, the government raised the chapa rate (public transportation) and many people protested the rate increase.  Because there was some violence in the city the last time they raised the rates, many people chose not to ride chapas that day.  One of the guards at Oasis walked for three hours to get to work because he was afraid to take a chapa.  Fortunately, the tension was short-lived and everything was back to normal the next day. 

When we made our road trip down to South Africa back in July, one of the custom agents at the border crossing was interested in the work MAF does and told Dave he was a pastor here in Maputo.  He wanted us to come stay with him and attend his church on our way back from South Africa, but it didn’t work out.  Since we were in town, Dave contacted him to see if his church was within walking distance of where we were staying.  He told us he would have someone from the church pick us up to give us a ride.  As we rode along with Gisela and Kito, we realized we were actually going to a small town outside of the city.  The church was set up under a tent, but had a sound system, keyboard, and a praise team.  The music and preaching was in Portuguese and Xichangana (the local dialect in this part of Mozambique).  Afterwards, the pastor, Pastor Linder, and his wife took us to lunch and then droves us all the way back to Maputo with an invitation to come back the next week.  We are hoping that MAF will be able to fly him and several of his colleagues to show the Jesus Film when they come to the Northern part of Mozambique in January. 

After lunch with Pastor Linder (Jim S…this pic is for you since a picture of Jill in a skirt is so rare!)

Because they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in Mozambique, we had an interesting time explaining the traditions of the holiday to our language instructors (the first time we ever had to go to school on Thanksgiving day!).  Because Evangeline and Juanita are Americans, they planned a special dinner.  We had chicken instead of turkey and a squash pie (seasoned just like a pumpkin pie!).  Instead of cranberry sauce, they picked some tart berries from the garden and made a sauce.   At dinner, we had people representing five different countries and giving thanks!  Maybe it wasn’t completely traditional, but we still came together and gave thanks to God for His many blessings!

The table set for Thanksgiving: Our new British friends Ian and Cheryl, and Evangeline and Juanita

Still not sure what kind of berry this was, but it made a nice sauce